tunities of intercourse with men of inquiring minds meeting 

 together, — to say nothing of the bodily health and exercise got 

 by the excursion itself. I felt satisfied that the example thus set 

 would soon be taken up in other places, and similar clubs insti- 

 tuted elsewhere, and such has been the event as already stated. 



But though the Berwickshire Club is the oldest of our modern 

 Clubs, it is interesting to find that the idea of thus enlisting 

 men of the same taste for out-of-door natural history purposes 

 is of more ancient date. In the life of the illustrious Swedish 

 naturalist, Linnaeus, there is an amusing account of his getting 

 together "a caravan of naturalists" — students who had offered 

 their services — to accompany him on a tour through Dalecarlia in 

 the year 1734, with a view to explore its natural productions, and 

 whom he marshalled under " certain laws and regulations, for the 

 due observance of which every member made himself answerable." 

 He himself held the governorship of the Avhole party, superin- 

 tended the enterprise, and took care that everybody discharged 

 the functions of the office allotted to him. There were seven in 

 number, besides Linnreus. The first "Avas to act as geographei", 

 to give an accurate description of all the villages, mountains, 

 lakes, rivers, roads, and districts, &c. — to say morning and even- 

 ing prayers, and to preach on Sundays." The second, as general 

 naturalist, " was to make observations on the quality of the 

 water, on mineral springs, on the snow and height of the mountains, 

 the weather, the fruitfulness or sterility of soil, &c., &c. He was. 

 also charged with digesting, as secretary', the transactions of the 

 Society in proper written fcrm." The third, as mineralogist (or 

 metallist as he is there called), " besides collecting stones, minerals, 

 earths, all kinds of petrifications, &c., Avas further employed as. 

 groom, to saddle, water, and attend the horses." The fourth, "a 

 student of physic, as botanist or herbalist, was to examine and to 

 preserve as Avell as possible all the trees, plants, herbs, grasses, 

 and fungi, which occurred to his view. He was moreover ap- 

 pointed to precede, the company as a quarter-master, to procure 



